US1156600A - Adding and calculating machines. - Google Patents

Description

A. A HORTON. ADDING AND CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5, 1914- 1,1 56,600. Patented 001;. 12, 1915.

UNirTED STATES PATENT ALLEN A. HORTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BURROUGHS ADDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN ADDING AND CALCULATING MACHINE.

tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifica tion.

My invention relates more particularly to adding and calculating machines of the general type and character oftthat describedin my prior Patent No. 1,016,501, dated February 6, 1912, and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of such machines, involving novel combinationsand cooperations of parts, under which the necessary length of themachine is materially decreased as compared with that of my prior patent above referred to, the several operating keys in each row or bank of keys have a more uniform action upon the column-actuator 0r actuating lever associated with such bank of keys, and the neces sary range of movement of the front end of said lever under the operations of the keys of higher value is reduced; all as herein-\ after more fully explained. f

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a single bank or section ofa machine embodying my/invention, with a part of the division frameplate broken away to expose the parts beyond it, and with the operating keys all in normal position; and Fig. 2 a similar view with one of the operating keys depressed to its limit of movement. y The same letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in the two views. The column-actuator or actuating lever A of each bank or section of the. machine, instead of being prolonged rearward of the keyboard of the machine and mounted at its extreme rear end upon a fixed fulcrum, as in the machine. of my prior patent. is materially reduced in length, and terminates at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed September 15, 1914. Serial No. $61,782.

is fulcrumed at its lower rear corner upon a fixed rod or fulcrum b. The lever B is in substance an elbow or bell-crank lever c0mposed of the two arms Z2 and I)", the third arm or side If of the. triangular lever being merely a connecting and strengthening arm; or the lever B may be considered simply a triangular plate, with its middle portion cut away.-

The lever is provided at its upper end with a laterally projecting stud 0 which travels in and is limited in its movements by a curved slot 0 in the division plate C of the framework of the machine. livotally connected to the upper end of the lever B, coincident with the axis of the stud 0 but upon the opposite side of the lever, is the rear end of a combined connecting and stop bar D. The front end of the bar D is pivotally connected at d to an arm or lever E, piyotally mounted at its lower end upon a fixed rod 6 and carrying an integrally formed geartoothed rack E curved in the arc of a circle struck from the pivotal support 0 of the lever, and meshing with-the drivipg' pinion F of the addingmechanism at the front of the machine. The pivot stud (Z of the front end of the bar D, like that at its rear end,

v His limited in its movements by a curved slot 0 in the frame plate C;

its front end, by a pivoted link A with the bar D, the pivotal connection a of the link A with the lever A being near the front end of the latter, as stated, and its pivotal connection a with the bar D being at a point removed from the front end of the latter, so that when the parts are all in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the link A occupies an approximately horizontal position, with its pivotal connection with the lever A at its front end and its pivotal connection with the bar D at its rear end, as shown.

Under the above described construction and arrangement of parts, when the front end of the actuating lever A is depressed the pivotal connection (r of the link A with said lever will be carried downward, and the pivotal connection of the rear end of said link with the bar D will be drawn forward, thereby drawing the bar D bodily forward bar will swing the rack E forward a Such forward increment of the corresponding distance, and will also draw forward the upper end of the triangular or bell-crank lever B, such lever swinging upon its fixed fulcrum 6. Such movement of the lever B upon its fulcrum will correspondingly lower its pivotal connection a with the rear end of the actuating lever A, constituting the pivotal support or fulcrum of said lever, so that the front end of the lever A will not only be lowered by the rocking of the lever upon its fulcrum a, but said fulcrum will itself be lowered by the rocking of the lever B upon its fulcrum. The position assumed by the parts when the 5-key is depressed to its limit of movement is shown in F ig. 2.

-Owing to the connectionvof the front end of the lever A with the bar D by means of the link A and the relation of the parts when in normal position, shown in Fig. 1 and heretofore described, it follows that the ratio of the downward movement of the front end of the lever A to the forward movement of the bar D is greatest at the beginning of the downward movement of the front end of said lever and least as it approaches the end of such downward move ment, with the result that the keys of lower order in each row or bank of nine keys F are'permitted to give the actuating lever A a greater movement, in proportion to their value, than the keys of higher order or value in such bank or row. It is therefore unnecessary to provide any substantiallygreater amount of lost motion between the keys oflower order or value and the actuating lever than between the keys of higher order or Value and said lever, as has heretofore been usually required. In the particular construction shown in the drawings, the contact lug or projection of each of the operating keys, from the units key rearward to the 9-key, engages the upper edge of the actuating lever A at approximately the beginning of the downward movement of the key, with the result that the key is in engagement with said lever during substantially the entlre downward movement of the key. This enables the keys to be given amuch more uniform operation or touch than where the keys of lower order or value have considerable play or lost motion in respect to the actuating lever. and therefore have to be depressed a considerable distance before they come in contact with such lever, as in the machine of my prior patent above referred to and in other similar machines. With each of the keys in the row engaging the actuating lever at approximately the be ginning of the downward movement of the ,key, there is an absence from the touch of the key of any sense of contact of the key with the actuatinglever, and the key is permitted a smooth and even depression throughout its downward movement, which is not possible where a substantial amount of play or lost motion between the keys and the actuating lever is required.

It of course requires more pressure upon the keys of higher order or value, near the rear end of the row, to depress the actuating lever A, since they engage said lever nearer its fulcrum than do the keys of lower order or value nearer the front end of the row, but by providing the keys with resetting springs of gradually increasing strength toward the front end of the row of keys may, if desired, be caused to olfer a substantially uniform resistance to depression, so that they will all have the same touch in that respect.

The keys of higher order or value, toward the rear end of the row, are given a greater depth of movement (as indicated by their guide slots in the frame plate C) than are the keys to ard the front end of the row, to enable them to impart a correspondingly greater movement to the actuating lever A and bar D, and consequently to the registeractuating rack E which is pivoted to the front end of the bar D and actuated thereby, but, owing to the construction illustrated and described, and particularly the connection of the front end of the lever A to the bar D by the link 1 the front end of the lever A is not required to have a range'of movement directly proportionate to the values of the keys. 0n the contrary, as explained, it may have less movement, proportionately, for the keys of higher value, and consequently not be subjected to such eXtreme vibrations by the operations of such keys as would otherwise be necessary, its movement decreasing or slowing down, as it were, as it approaches its lower limit of movement under the operations of said keys.

'1 he bar D has been referreiil to as a combincd connecting and stop bar, for the reason that it serves to connect the actuating lever A and lever B with the register-actuating rack E, and is further provided upon its upper surface with a plurality of stop shoulders d which coiiperate with lugs f projecting laterally from the key-stems F, and guided in vertical slots in the finale plate C. The relation of the shoulders (Z upon the stop-bar D to the lugs on the keys is such that when any key is depressed to it limit of movement its lug f is interposed in the path of the corresponding shoulder (Z on the stop bar and engaged thereby, so that the forward movement of the stop bar (and consequently of the rack E actuated by it) is definitely limited and determined in accordance with the position and value of the key.

The addin mechanism at the front of the machine, and its connections with the actuatinn' rack E may be or" any suitable character, such, for instance, as those disclosed in my prior patent above mentioned, or those disclosed in the pending application of Claiborne W. Gooch, Serial No. 820,680,

filed February 24, 1914. The latter have beenindicated in the drawings.

The provision of a rising and falling or floating fulcrum for the rear end of the actuating lever A, with the resulting shortening up of the machine compared with that of my prior patent and other similar with a main actuating lever, fulcrumed near one end and operatively connected with an adding mechanism at its opposite end, through mechanism operating to ncrease the movement of the adding mechanism relative to the movement of the lever as the latter is moved away from normal position of-a plurality of operating keys arranged in a row Parallel with said actuating lever and provided with contact surfaces or projection's. located immediately adjacent and at approximately uniform distances from the contact surface or edge of said lever, whereby said keys are given a substantially uniform touch in their cotiperation with said lever; 1 i

2. In an adding machine, the combination with a main actuating lever mounted at one end upon a rising and falling or floating fulcrum and operatively connected at its opposit'e end with an adding mechanism, of a plurality of operating keys'arranged in a row parallel with said actuating lever and provided .with contact faces or projections located immediately adjacent and, at approximately uniform distances from the contact surface or edge of said lever, whereby said keys are given a substantially uniform touch in their cooperation with said lever. 3. In an adding machine, the combination of a main actuating lever mounted at its rear end upon a rising and falling or floating fulcrum, a rocking support for said fulcrum, an operating rackfor the adding mechanism at the front end of the actuating lever, a connecting bar or link between said rack and the rocking support for the fulcrum of the actuating lever, a connection between the front end of the actuating lever and said bar or link independent of the operating rack, and a plurality of operating keys arranged in a row parallel with the actuating lever and having contact surfaces or projections located immediately adjacent and at approximately uniform distances from the contact surface or edge of said lever,

I whereby said keys are given a substantially uniform touch said'iever.

4. In an adding machine, the combination with 'a main actuating lever mounted at its rear endupon a rising and falling or floatin' their cooperation with ing-fulcrum, a bell crank lever mounted at.

the rear end of the actuating lever and having a lower approximately horizontal arm Which carries the fulcrum for said lever, and an approximately vertical arm extending above'said fulcrum, an operating rack for the adding mechanism located at the front end of the actuating lever, a connecting bar or link pivoted at its front end to said rack and at its. rear end to the vertical arm of the bell crank lever, a pivoted link connecting the front end of the actuating lever with the connecting bar or link, and a plurality of keys arranged in a row parallel with the main actuating lever and provided with contact surfaces orprojections located immediately adjacent and at approximately uniform distances from the contact edge or surface of said lever, whereby said keys are given a uniform touch in their cooperation with said lever.

5. In an adding machine,'the combination of a main actuating lever mounted at its rear end upon a rising and falling or floating fulcrum, a bell crank lever mounted in rear of said actuating lever and having a vertically extending arm and a forwardly extending approximately horizontalarm, which latter carries the fulcrum for the actuating lever, an operating rack for the addingmechanism pivotall'y supported near the front end of the actuating lever to swing forwardly and backwardly, a connecting bar or link pivoted at its front end to said rack and at its rear end to the vertical arm of the bell crank lever, a link pivoted at its front end to the main actuating lever near the front end of the latter and at its rearend to the connecting bar or link at a point removed from the front end of said bar or link, and a plurality of operating keys arranged in a row parallel with the actuating lever and provided with contact surfaces or projections located immediately adjacent and at approximately uniform distances from the contactsurface or edge of said lever, whereby said keys are given a substantially uniform touch in their' of the keys remote from the fulcrum of the lever, and whereby a less degree of movement of the lever relatively to the rack is required under nearer the fulcrum of the lever; tially as described.

7. In an adding machine, the combination of an adding mechanism, an operating rack therefor, an actuating lever for said rack operating to give the rack a movement increasing rclativei to the movement of the lever as the latter is moved from normal position, and a plurality of operating keys cooperating with said lever at varying distances from its fulcrum, the contact surfaces of said keys being located inmrediately adjacentand at approximately uniform distances from the contact surface or edge. of said lever, whereby a greater movement of the lever relatively to the rack is permitted under the operations of the keys remote from the fulcrum of the lever, whereby a less movement of the lever relatively to the rack is required under the operations of the keys nearer the fulcrum of the lever, and whereby a uniform touch of all of the keys in their cooperation with said lever may be secured; substantially as described.

8. In an adding machine, the combination of a main actuating lever mounted at one end upon a rising and falling or floating fulcrum, and a plurality of operating keys cooperating with said lever at varying dissnbstan tances fron'rits fulcrum, a rack for trans I mitting the movements of said lever to an adding mechanism, and connections between said rack and the free end of the lever operating to increase the movement of the rack relatively to the movements of the lever as the lever is moved from normal, position;

substantially as and for the purpose de-- scribed.

S). In an adding machine, the combination with a main actuating lever mounted at one end upon a rising and falling or floating fulcrum, and a plurality of operatirlg keys cooperating with said lever at varying distances from its fulcrum and provided with contact faces or projections located immediately adjacent and at ap n'oximately uniform distances from the contact surface or edge of said lever, of a rack for transmit ting the movements of said lever to an adding mechanism. and connections between said rack and the free end of said lever operating to increase the movement of the rack Copies of this patent may be the operations of the keys obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 2 for the adding and the bar or link operating to increase the movement of said bar and the rack relatively to the movement of the lever asthe latter is moved from its normal position, and a plurality of operating keys cooperating with the actuating lever at varying distances from its fulcrum; substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In. an adding machine, the combina tion of the actuating lever A, the bell crank lever B upon whose forwardly projecting horizontal arm the rear end of the lever A is fulcrumed, the operating rack E, E for the adding mec'l'ianism, pivoted at e to swing forwardly and backwardly, the connecting bar or link I) pivoted at its front end to the rack E, E and at its rear end to the vertical arm of the bell crank lever B, the link A pivotally connecting the front end of the lever A with the bar I), andthe. operating keys F cooperating with the lever A; substantially as described.

12. In an adding machine, the combination of the main actuating lever A, thebell crank lever B to whose forwardly extending horizontal arm the rear end of the lever A is fulcrumed, the operating rack E, E for the adding mechanism, pivoted at c to swing forwardly and backwardly, the 'bar or link I) pivoted at its front end to'said rack and at its rear end to the bell crank 13 and provided with the stop-shoulders cl, the link A pivoted at its front end to the lever A. and at its rear end to the bar D, and the operating keys 1* cooperating with the lever A and provided with the stop projections f cooperating with the stop-shoulders cl upon the bar I); sul )stantially as described.

ALLEN A. HORTON.

ll itnesses C. IV. Goocn, R lvIncLaRT.

Washington, 3. Q.

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